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Plymouth Emergency Procedures

Emergency Procedures

Active Shooter Bomb Threat Evacuation Fire General Emergency Medical Emergency Tornado Utility Failure Weather Conditions Inclement Weather Policy

Marian University’s Ancilla College has partnered with the CampusShield app to increase your safety on and off campus. To be promptly informed of any and all campus emergencies, safety concerns and weather announcements, all students are asked to download the CampusShield app on their phones and devices. This is a free app and is available through the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Allow location services and connect to wi-fi for the best results.

Emergency Number

  • Dial from any phone: 574-936-9936
  • Using Campus Shield, swipe the red emergency phone icon
  • Dial 911, then follow up with a call to SASS (Safety and Support Services) so they can assist in directing emergency personnel to your specific campus location.

Emergencies can occur at any time, without warning. A well-coordinated response  helps prevent personal injury, property damage, and lessen the resulting confusion. Careful planning, with an emphasis on safety, can help everyone on campus handle crises and emergencies with appropriate responses—and save lives. There is no guarantee that a perfect response to emergencies is practical or possible. Therefore, a plan should be considered a guide for building occupants to familiarize themselves with basic emergency planning, response, and evacuation.

In instances where emergency procedures given by the SASS (Safety And Support Services) differ from those on this web site, such procedures will supersede other instructions.

Checklist: What Every Student Should Know

  • Where campus emergency phone numbers are posted
  • The location of a fire alarm manual pull station
  • The location of two portable fire extinguishers
  • At least two evacuation routes (an elevator is never a way out during a fire)
  • The two nearest areas of refuge
  • Where emergency supplies are located
  • To stay outside during an evacuation until instructed otherwise by SASS
  • To leave or seek shelter when an alarm sounds


Active Shooter

Armed assailants and “active shooters” create highly unpredictable situations. The following guidelines are based on federal training recommendations and best practices. An alternate response may be necessary depending on the actual situation.

Notification will occur through tornado sirens (interrupted blasts), building coordinators, campus voicemail, campus email, and/or text message. A fire alarm indicates building evacuation.

If warning sirens are used, they will consist of long, continuous wails for several minutes.
The all-clear  signal will be three short bursts of the siren.

If You Are Inside a Building

And the shooter is not in your building – EXTERNAL LOCKDOWN:
External lockdowns are ordered when the potential threat is outside the building. Doors are locked, and no one may enter or exit. Faculty, staff, and students should continue their schedule inside the building.

And the shooter is inside your building – INTERNAL LOCKDOWN:
Lockdowns are ordered when a threat is in the building. All classroom and office doors must be secured. Remain in rooms until lockdown is lifted.

IMMEDIATE ACTION
Close doors. Lock or barricade if possible.
Move away from windows.
HIDE: Turn off monitors, radios, phones, and other devices. Stay quiet and out of view.
DO
If possible, call SASS (574-936-9936) or 911:
• Give your name and location
• Report injuries
• Provide details: number of shooters, description, weapon type, and location

Faculty and staff may make lockdown or evacuation decisions only in life-threatening situations.
• If the shooter’s location is known, evacuate ONLY if a clear exit (e.g., window) is accessible
• If confronted, consider active resistance (e.g., chairs, books, desks) –   as a last resort
DON'T
Do not answer the door under any circumstances.

If You Are Outside a Building

Follow instructions provided to the announced safe location (this will be determined based on circumstances) 

  • If shooter’s location is known, consider evacuating ONLY if an exit is easily accessible, such as a window that can be opened or broken. If it is possible, safely leave (RUN) from the area in the opposite direction of gunfire alerting anyone you come across of the danger. 
  • If it is not safe to leave the area, LOCK AND BARRICADE (HIDE) yourself in a room. Close and lock doors, move away from windows. 
  • Turn off the lights, stay quiet, turn off computer monitors, silence cell phones and other audio devices. Prepare for a possible confrontation with the shooter. Safely gather any tools at your disposal such as fire extinguishers, chairs, mugs, etc. should you ultimately need to “fight.” 
  • If you are confronted by a shooter, consider using active resistance: fighting back with objects such as fire extinguishers, chairs, mugs chairs, books, desks, etc. This is a last resort. (FIGHT) 
  • Dial 911 as soon as it is safely possible.
  • Supply SASS with the following information if safety permits: 
    • Your name and location
    • The nature of the incident
    • The location of the incident, e.g., college main building, west entrance or Motherhouse main entrance, Zirkle, Hardesty Residence Hall, Miller Residence Hall, etc.
    • Description of involved parties/shooter
    • The direction in which the shooter(s) is headed/traveling
    • Location of any victims and types of injuries

POLICE RESPONSE

Police are trained to respond to an active shooting incident by entering the building as soon as possible and proceeding to the area of the assailant. Early in the incident, it may be impossible to deliver medical treatment to victims because the main goal is neutralizing the assailant. Try to remain as calm as possible so as not to interfere with police operations. Once the area has been secured, rescue teams will arrive to provide assistance.

Bomb Threat

IMMEDIATE ACTION
Remain calm.   Call SASS at 574-936-9936 from another phone.
DO
Pay attention to background noises  such as running motors, music, or any sounds that might reveal the caller's location.
Listen closely to the voice  to assess quality, accent, speech issues, gender, or unusual characteristics.
DON'T
Do not answer the door.

Evacuation

 

Notification  will be delivered by building coordinator, campus voice mail, campus e-mail, and/or text message.

IMMEDIATE ACTION

In the event of an emergency requiring the total evacuation of the premises the following steps should be followed: 

  1. In the event an emergency arises requiring the evacuation of all complex wide buildings Reception or SASS will page the following: “Evacuate all buildings immediately!” three [3] times. 
  2. Upon hearing this page all residents, student, coworkers, visitors and guests should quickly and immediately proceed to the nearest exit and leave the building. 
  3. Once outside proceed to the largest visible parking area and remain there until an “all clear” to re-enter the buildings is announced.

Fire

Notification  will be delivered by building fire alarms, text message, and/or building coordinators.

IMMEDIATE ACTION

Call Safety and Support Services (SASS) 
Pull the fire alarm. 

  • From a phone: (574) 936-9936 
  • Using CampusShield, swipe the red emergency phone icon 

Evacuate the building, close the doors, and go to the following locations:

  • If in the college building, go to parking Lot A (North of the college building)
  • If in the residence halls or Zirkle dining, go to the parking lot south of the buildings 

PROCEDURE:
In the event of the presence of smoke, fire, or an automatic alarm follow these immediate steps.

  • If the alarm is not already sounding pull the nearest fire alarm [911 will be dialed automatically by the alarm system].
  • Remain calm and evacuate.  NEVER USE AN ELEVATOR IN A CODE RED EVENT.
  • Move away from immediate danger safely. 
    • Those able to exit the building safely should do so. 
    • Those on upper floors, unable to exit quickly, should move immediately [laterally staying on the same level] as far away from the smoke or fire as possible. 
    • NEVER PASS THROUGH THE FIRE AREA.
  • Contain the smoke/fire by closing doors. 
    • The last person through should close all doors between the smoke /fire and the “safe location” away from the source.
  • Anyone capable, able, and willing to assist others during this process should do so. DO NOT PUT YOURSELF AT RISK.

Upon arrival, the fire department becomes the primary entity in charge of the emergent event. We then simply follow their orders. 
DO
Smother or douse a small, minor fire  only if it can be done without endangering yourself or others.
Call 574-936-9936 even if the fire is extinguished.
If the fire is small   and  you have extinguisher training, use a portable fire extinguisher.
If there is any doubt about the fire's size or your ability to extinguish it,   do not try — evacuate immediately.
DON'T
Do not attempt to extinguish a fire if you have any doubt about its size or your ability.
Do not use elevators.

General Emergency Procedures

  • Always assess if anyone is injured and the severity of injuries. Immediately call 574-936-9936  or  911.
  • Provide traffic control assistance to enable emergency vehicles to respond.
  • Never speculate about the circumstances of an emergency.
  • Follow directions given by law enforcement or emergency response personnel.
  • Remain calm, keep each other informed as much as possible, reassure others.
  • Do not speak to the media; direct them to campus police or the media relations contact.
Campus Support (Fire, EMT, HazMat) 574-936-9936  or 911
Campus Operations (Utility Failures) 574-936-9936  (during normal business hours)

 

Medical Emergency / Ambulance

IMMEDIATE ACTION
Call 574-936-9936 and 911.

In the event of any a life-threatening medical emergency, follow these steps: 

  1. The first responder on site should check the area for safety concerns. 
  2. After determining it is safe to assist the person, check person for consciousness, respirations and pulse. 
  3. Call 911, or designate someone present to call 911; be sure to identify by name and address where you are on the premises. 
  4. If you are not trained in CPR and First Aid, ask if anyone in-house is trained in CPR / First Aid / AED use.
  5. The designated individual should begin CPR and or First Aid. Designate someone to retrieve one of the of AED’s available on campus and proceed with using it if needed. 
  6. Once medical professionals respond to the scene they can take over administering medical aid. 
DO

Give as much information as possible about the illness or injury:

  • Victim's location
  • Whether the victim is conscious, breathing, bleeding, or has other injuries
  • Any chemicals or radioactive materials involved
  • Stay with the person and send someone else to meet the ambulance
DON'T
Do not move a seriously injured person unless they are in a life-threatening situation.

Severe Weather Conditions

Extreme cold, extreme heat, blizzard conditions, heavy snow, widespread flooding, or other weather events may result in emergency conditions requiring cancellation of classes or operation on a reduced schedule.

Notification will be delivered via designated radio and TV stations, text message, the university website, and/or the Marian University Facebook page.

DO

Listen to radio or TV  to find out whether classes are canceled, the university is closed, or if it is operating under emergency conditions.   If classes are canceled and university offices are closed during an academic session, essential personnel in campus operations, campus police, and residence life are still expected to report for duty.

Tornado

Notification will be delivered by CampusShield and community tornado sirens and/or text message. DO NOT CALL SASS.

Warning sirens will consist of long, continuous wails for several minutes.

Inside a Building

IMMEDIATE ACTION
Go to the designated shelter, interior hallway, or small room on the lowest level of the building you are in. Move below ground, if possible. Begin  Shelter-In-Place.
DO
Wait  for all-clear signal through CampusShield before leaving the safe area.
DON'T

Do not open windows. Do not stand or sit near windows or exterior doors. Do not attempt to turn utilities or equipment on or off. After the all-clear, leave badly damaged buildings and do not  return unless directed to do so.

Outside a Building

IMMEDIATE ACTION
Seek shelter in a building. If no shelter is available, lie flat in a ditch or low-lying area.
DO
Watch  for downed power lines. Wait  for all-clear signal from CampusShield before leaving the area.
DON'T
Do not remain in your car.

Utility Failure

Notification  will be delivered by building coordinator, CampusShield, campus e-mail, and/or text message.

In All Cases

IMMEDIATE ACTION
Call 574-702-0184  for all issues.

Electrical / Light Failure

DO
Remain  in the building unless evacuation is ordered.
Locate  exit stairs or doors and exit while emergency lighting is available.

DON'T
Do not use candles or open flames.
Do not enter the building until power is fully restored.
Do not attempt to use an Elevator.

Plumbing, Floor, or Water Leak

DON'T
Do not walk through standing water due to electrocution risk.

Natural Gas Leak

DO
Leave the area immediately.

Inclement Weather Policy

University Closing in Inclement Weather

In the unusual event that inclement weather or adverse campus conditions necessitate the canceling of classes and/or shutting down office operations, please watch the stations listed below for media reports. For day classes, the decision will usually be made by 6 a.m., but may be made later.

You may also check the university's homepage, Facebook, and Twitter  for important announcements.

Weather Alerts to Cell Phone or Email

Get instant school closings, delays, and severe weather alerts sent directly to your email inbox and via CampusShield .

If road conditions are hazardous and the university has not closed or canceled classes, faculty members  should make decisions on an individual basis and must notify students of any cancellations.

Students concerned about commuting to class in extreme weather should use their best judgment.

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